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Personal information

I obtained my double-doctorate on muscle physiology in 2009 from the Manchester Metropolitan University and the VU University Amsterdam, in which I studied why smokers are more prone to fatigue. From 2009-2012, I worked at the University of Leeds (UK) on the control of mitochondrial respiration during exercise. After returning to the Netherlands, I worked on various projects related to cardiac metabolism and mitochondrial function at the Amsterdam UMC, locations VUmc and AMC. Since 2019, I am assistant-professor at the department of Human Movement Sciences of the VU University. I am involved in teaching and research in the areas of clinical exercise physiology, cellular physiology and mitochondrial function. Recently, I am involved in a large ESA/NASA-funded bedrest-study where the effects of microgravity are studied on the cellular and molecular level. I received different grants from The Physiological Society, Dutch Heart foundation, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Research and Amsterdam Movement Sciences.

Research

General interests

My main research interest lies in the regulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle metabolism and mitochondrial function. I am interested in the fundamental aspects of mitochondrial bio-energetics as well as its consequence for whole cell and organ function. To study this, I use research methods ranging from imaging and spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy and cellular and molecular techniques.

Achievements

I have contributed to the understanding of how the skeletal muscle cell is able to adapt mitochondrial ATP production to demand. For this, I investigate muscle oxygen uptake under various conditions. Because of the link between mitochondrial dysfunction and exercise intolerance, and cardiac dysfunction, I have contributed to further understanding the consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction to functional outcomes in different conditions and chronic diseases. Some examples include the understanding of fatigue in current smokers and COPD patients, metabolic dysfunction in patients with right ventricular heart failure and cardiac dysfunction in patients with diabetes.

Besides, I have contributed to the development of various methodologies to assess metabolic and mitochondrial pathways from the whole-body level (including magnetic resonance imaging), via mitochondrial respirometry down to the molecular level (including live cell imaging).

Because of my time abroad, I have gathered a large network of collaborating scientists across the planet, including Japan, USA, Canada, Sweden, UK, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. This can provide ample opportunities for students to find internships abroad.

Current Research

My current research involves different projects in the area of 1) Muscle atrophy and metabolic alterations after inactivity (in collaboration with ESA/NASA), 2) Exercise capacity in various patient populations, 3) Development of new techniques assessing fundamental mitochondrial function in skeletal and cardiac muscle, and 4) Effects of inflammation on cardiac and skeletal muscle function.